Caption: Laughing Samoan Eteuati Ete will take two weeks off from his busy touring schedule and fly to Fiji for this epic journey.
WOWS Kids (Fiji) received the awesome news this week as its Certificate of Incorporation as a Charitable Trust was confirmed from Fiji’s Registrar of Titles, thus beginning the next stage of a journey that began in 2008.
Sina Kami, founder of the Tae Kami Foundation in Tonga to which WOWS Kids (Fiji) is affiliated, responded to the news with an emotional message to the team and supporters.
“This is a very teary-eyed moment for us,” she said from Nuku’alofa. “It was our daughter Tae’s dream that we set up an organisation to care for children who are suffering from cancer. My husband Taholo and I made a promise to her before she died that we would fulfill those dreams.”
The Tae Kami Foundation was established in Tonga in 2009 and initially the WOWS committee in Fiji worked alongside the Fiji Cancer Society. Now, WOWS Kids (Fiji) has broadened its reach to include children who are suffering from other life-threatening conditions.
“Tae’s message was ‘Walk On Walk Strong’, and this can be applied to so many things in life, not just health issues,” Ms Kami explained. “It’s been a long, windy road to get us this far, and at times it has just been Tae’s words that have kept us going.”
“Now, we are in the throes of securing premises in Suva that WOWS Kids will use as the Resource Centre and secretariat; and we have advertised for a Team Leader who will manage the operation so, it’s all moving along very quickly.”
Next event on the agenda is October’s WOWS Kids 2014 Walk around Viti Levu which is essentially a “two-week walkathon” to raise funds and awareness for the Walk On Walk Strong campaign.
“Since we announced earlier this week the full details of the WOWS Walk and the Head Shave, we have received much interest from those wishing to take part and others wanting to volunteer.”
Leading the WOWS Walk on this mammoth 462-kilometre challenge is Laughing Samoan Eteuati Ete who will take two weeks off from his busy touring schedule and fly to Fiji for this epic journey.
The WOWS Head Shave will be held at Sukuna Park in Suva on Saturday 18 October once the WOWS Walkers have finished their epic journey.
And joining the Head Shave are at least four international rugby players, who will shave their heads at their overseas clubs.
The Head Shave will be followed by a Free Concert at Sukuna Park featuring Rako Pasefika.
Registration for the walk is $25 per person which includes an official WOWS Walk 2014 T-shirt.
Companies and individuals wishing to take part in the WOWS Walk or the International Head Shave should contact Makeleta Liebregts for a registration form via email on <wowskidsfiji@gmail.com> or by phone on 730-0121.
PRESS RELEASE